What Could Have Been
by SmilesSaveLives
Summary: What if Stevie Rae had gone back to the school with them in Hunted when Zoey was injured? Would Stephaim still have happened? Would Stoey?
1. Prologue

**A/N**

**Okay, so I've been rereading the series (I'm currently on **_**Hunted**_**), and then I wondered: what if Stevie Rae had gone with the rest of them when they returned to the school after Zoey was hurt? Would Stephaim still have happened? Would Stoey? R&R to find out.**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HOUSE OF NIGHT OR ITS AMAZING CHARACTERS! (*sobs*) unfortunately, 'cause that means I don't own Rephaim…**

**~Smiley**

* * *

_Prologue_

"Oh, no, I shouldn't have said anything. Those woods are much too dangerous for 'daddy's little girl.'" Sam Johnson told his little six-year old sister with a sneer.

"I'm no 'fraidy cat," the little girl twanged. "And I'm not a baby no more. Daddy can't tell me what to do," she added, dramatically crossing her arms. She even stomped her foot for emphasis, causing her blonde curls to bounce a little

"Yes, I do," their father insisted, looking up from his newspaper.

"Yes, Daddy," she said automatically, looking down at her red cowboy boots.

"And don't you forget it," he said as he stood up. He rubbed the top of her head before he continued, "Well, I hafta go to town for a little bit. Watch your sister, boys. Your momma's outside in the garden if ya need anythin'." With that, he walked out the door, and she waited to hear the old truck pulling out of the driveway before she got into it with her brothers.

"I'm still not scared of a bunch of trees," she pouted.

"We know you're not scared of the trees, Stevie Rae," Danny said patiently, "but what's dangerous is what's inside the trees." Stevie Rae sighed and sat down on the rug of the living room floor while Danny returned to his book.

"And that old, abandoned, haunted house," Tom added, then, realizing what he had said, clamped his hand over his mouth.

Stevie Rae's eyes widened. "There's a haunted house back there?" she shouted, disbelieving.

"Oh, I fear my twin has said too much!" Sam exclaimed, shaking his head in a mock-concerned gesture.

"I wanna go see it!" Stevie Rae shouted, jumping to her feet.

"Absolutely not!" Danny shouted. "Stevie Rae, _no one_ goes near that house."

"C'mon, _Dad_," Sam said, mimicking his sister.

"I'm no 'fraidy cat," Tom said in the same tone.

Stevie Rae made a face at both of them before turning her sweetest face at Danny. "Pleeeeaaaase!" she begged. "Just a little peek inside." She even held up her fingers to show how little the peek was.

"Stevie Rae, there's not much to see anyway. The old house is all boarded up so you can't see inside even if you wanted to," Danny said.

"Oh," Stevie Rae mumbled.

"But it's still cool to look at," Sam chimed.

"Yeah, and if you're lucky—or very unlucky—you might see the ghost," Tom baited.

Stevie Rae just caught the _Shut Up_ glare Danny shot his younger brothers before it was masked by forced nonchalance.

"They're only kiddin', Stevie Rae," Danny managed.

"Unless we're not," Tom said. Sam nodded in agreement. It took another death glare from Danny for the twins to finally get the message.

"But, of course, we are only kiddin'," Sam lied.

"Yeah, ghosts aren't real. And there really isn't much to see," Tom added.

"Sammy… Tommy…" Stevie Rae whined.

"Really," they said at the same time, causing Stevie Rae to frown.

"Fine. I'm gonna go… clean my room," Stevie Rae lied quickly. The boys shared a glance but let her go.

However, Stevie Rae's neat little room was spotless, as usual. So her lie was believable, and she could easily climb out her bedroom window and hit the ground running.

She didn't stop or slow down until she reached the edge of the woods. Even then, she only hesitated for a moment before running full speed ahead.

Blonde curls bounced through the woods that bridged Henrietta; squeals of laughter mingled joyfully with the singing of the birds. Reflected in big, young, hopeful eyes was the clear blue sky that was just visible through the trees.

She wondered if this was why birds sang. Being out here was so nice and carefree and liberating that it made her want to sing. Instead, she settled for closing her eyes and throwing her arms wide, flapping them like she could fly. She didn't notice the sun preparing to hide in the west.

She stopped like she'd run into a John Deere when she came to the small clearing where the manor/house stood. Or, at least, what was left of it. Danny had been right: the burned-looking house was almost entirely boarded up.

Did you catch that? _Almost_ entirely. The boards had been pulled back just enough for a child to fit through. Stevie Rae, being small and thin for her age, could squeeze through easily. And that's just what she did.

However, she wasn't expecting the house to be so big. Or dark. Or lonely. Yes, that was it. Above all else, the house struck her as lonely.

She felt her was around, and eventually stumbled to a set of stairs. Before she gave could talk herself into chickening out, she started up.

"Hello?" she called when she reached the second and top floor, taking blind steps forward. "Is anyone in here?" She really wasn't expecting anyone to answer; after all, there's no such thing as ghosts.

"Yessssss…" a voice hissed, and the air in front of her got considerably colder.

"Ah!" she screamed, falling back onto her butt. She sorely wished she had brought a flashlight or something. Her heart skipped a beat and her breathing was sharp and uneven. When she finally got control of herself she stood up and asked, "Who are you?"

"I am a nightmare brought to life, stupid girl! Now leave before you learn there are things far worse than death to fear," the thing answered. It was huge and scary, obviously a nightmare. Human eyes studied her from the head of an enormous raven. However, it had the arms and legs of a muscular man. It was enough to make anyone run for the hills.

But Stevie Rae still couldn't see anything. It was dark, and her eyes weren't yet adjusted.

And although his voice should have been enough to scare her, she didn't register the threat, so she laughed. "You don't sound like a ghost! You sound like a human!" she blurted.

"I am a spirit, for now, and, spirit or not, I am far from being human," he said. "Why aren't you running away? Can you not see me, child?"

"Well, no. I can't see anything right now. It's darker than a storm cellar without the lights in here," she answered. "And you never answered me. Who are you?"

"Daughter of man, you may call me Rephaim," he answered, and although his tone was guarded and slightly confused amused, he didn't sound as threatening. He kind of sounded like he was wondering to be amused or not.

"Um…'kay. That's a weird name," Stevie Rae said.

"What is yours?" Rephaim asked.

"I'm Stevie Rae," she answered. Meanwhile her eyes were finally starting to adjust to the non-light.

"Now that is a strange name," he said.

"Nuh-uh!" she argued.

"Yes," he said calmly.

"No!" she shouted.

"Yes," he insisted. She stuck her tongue out at him. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Retaliatin'!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms wide and spinning and falling to the floor.

Then, surprising himself, he laughed for the first time in his life. She erupted in a fit of giggles as well.

Why was he laughing? It was just that he subconsciously thought this little girl was so cute. In an adorable sense, of course. Wait—what? No. Just no. The favorite son of a trapped immortal laughing with some mortal child? It was pathetic.

Rephaim abruptly stopped laughing and stayed silent.

"Hello? Rephaim?" Stevie Rae called, trying to catch her breath from laughing so hard. She had liked the sound of his laughter, but when it stopped like someone had pressed the mute button, the silence just ate at her. "Are you still here?"

Rephaim stayed silent. If he stayed quiet, then she would go away. That's what needed to happen. Raven Mockers are bringers of death, and he didn't want this cute little girl to die. Ugh. Why did he care? She deserved a life that she could live without knowing or fearing him, his brothers, or his father, who was destined to return soon. She needed to go home.

"Rephaim?" Her voice sounded so small and scared that it even wretched his cold heart. "Please answer me."

She sounded so young and vulnerable. Rephaim wanted to say something to comfort her, to keep her safe. But if he said something now, she wouldn't be safe. Ever. And he knew it.

"Please, Rephaim. I'm scared," she whispered, and her big blue eyes were overflowing with tears.

_No, don't cry_, Rephaim thought. _Wait, why do I care? Damn! Why is she having this effect on me?_

"You need to go," Rephaim said. "Now."

She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled through her tears. "Thank goodness you're still here. I thought you had left me here all alone."

"Go," was all he said.

"Rephaim—" she started after wiping her eyes.

"Go!" he interrupted, using his father's immortal power to amplify and fill his voice with power.

She yelped in surprise, but didn't move from her spot on the floor. "Why?" she questioned.

"I told you when you came: go before you learn there are things far worse than death to fear."

"Rephaim, w-why," she swallowed to try and control her voice, "why didn't you answer me the first time?"

"I was hoping you would leave without my having to tell you," he answered coldly. "Now go!"

She burst into loud, heartbreaking sobs. "I don't know how!" she cried.

"How can you not know?" he shouted, which made her cry harder.

"It's so dark! I can't see anything! And I don't know how to get home!" she managed around her sobs.

Rephaim gave an exasperated sigh, and looked down at the sobbing girl. "Shush, don't cry," he said soothingly. "It's okay," he added, kneeling down next to her.

Through her sobs, she said, "You really scared me."

"Maybe that's for the better," he said.

"I don't think so," she said, wiping her eyes.

"Relax. It probably would be better if you were scared of me. It would be smarter too." He allowed himself to rub her back in small circles of comfort. Her sobs turned into hiccumps.

She shook her head. "I don't wanna be scared. I'm not a 'fraidy cat."

"Of course you're not. In fact, you're quite brave," he said.

"What?"

"Most would take one look at me and run screaming in the other direction," he explained.

"I haven't seen you," she said. "And I thought you said you were a ghost."

"I am a spirit, not a ghost. A ghost is someone who has died and remained in this world. I never died, and I am not a someone. Why do you ask?" he said, confused.

"Because I can feel your hand on my back." Rephaim hastily drew his hand away. "No, you don't have to stop! It feels nice," she said, and he gently started to rub her back again. "And if you never died, why are you a ghost?"

"Spirit," he corrected. "And it is a long story."

"Well, I have time, and I like stories," she insisted.

He sighed but otherwise stayed silent.

"C'mon. You can tell me," she said softly.

He sighed again, but gave her the short version. "When my father was imprisoned in the earth, my brothers and I became spirits. We are destined to return when he is free."

Surprisingly, she laughed. "That wasn't a long story. Why was your daddy trapped?"

"Stevie Rae, it is better if you don't know," Rephaim said, his tone guarded.

She pouted. "Then I don't think you're tellin' me the whole story."

"In all honesty, I don't know the _whole_ story," Rephaim said.

"But you're not tellin' me everythin' ya know," she pointed out.

"Why are you here anyway?" Rephaim asked, changing the subject.

"Because I wanted to prove to my brothers I'm just as brave as them," she said, crossing her arms at the thought of her brothers.

Rephaim chuckled. "Well, I think you're braver than they are."

"Really?" she asked.

"Absolutely. You are one of the only people I've ever seen in here, and definitely the youngest."

"Cool!" she said, smiling.

Rephaim's eyes smiled back.

"Hey, why can you see me, but I can't see you?" she asked.

"I suppose I just have better night vision."

"Oh. But I wanna see you!" she said.

"I really don't think you do," he said.

"Well, you're thinkin' wrong! I want to."

"Very well." Rephaim thought for a moment. "There are some candles and matches in a chest over there. If I show you to it, you can light them."

"Okay," she agreed, and Rephaim's hand moved from her back to her arm, and he shoved with all his might. However, Stevie Rae hardly felt anything; it was kind of like he was nudging her in the right direction.

Stevie Rae followed his direction, and eventually she found herself kneeling in front of a chest. She felt for the lid's handle, and when she found it, she pulled the heavy lid up.

"Is there anything I wouldn't wanna touch in there?" she asked Rephaim with a shaky voice.

"No, don't worry. It's just clothes, shoes, books, candles, and the box of matches," he answered.

Stevie Rae took a deep breath. "Okay. I trust you."

Rephaim wanted to soar high above, his spirit felt so light, but the little girl needed him to stay close.

Meanwhile, Stevie Rae was feeling around for the candles and matches. When she found them, she put the five candles in front of her, and struck a match, lighting the candles quickly and blowing the match out before it could burn her fingers.

Rephaim jumped into the shadows before she lit the candles. If he stepped out of them, she would she him for who he was: a monster. She would scream. She would cry. He didn't want that. He knew that once he stepped out of the cloaking shadows, the strange feeling he had begun to have for the girl would go away as she rejected him. And, dare he say it, the friendship they were beginning to form would shatter. He didn't want to put it on the list of What Could Have Been.

But he also knew one other thing: she would run. If she ran, someone was bound to find her.

That's when he made his choice. He didn't need Stevie Rae's prompting to get himself to step out of the shadows. She would run. She wouldn't look back or return. She would run. She would throw him out of her life as she did so. She would run. He didn't deserve to be a part of his life.

But it still hurt when she gasped. It still hurt when her eyes widened. It still hurt when she opened her mouth to speak, and he flinched and looked away because he knew what she would say.

"You're a bird!" she blurted. Then she slapped her hand over her mouth, blushing. "Oops, sorry, that was rude of me. I guess you're not completely a bird, 'cause your arms and legs are human. And your eyes are too."

Rephaim turned to look at her with obvious confusion in his eyes. He didn't expect her to say that. On top of that, she wasn't screaming. She wasn't crying. And, most importantly, she wasn't running.

"Why aren't you screaming and running away?" he heard himself asking, almost without his permission. Almost.

Stevie Rae laughed. "Because you're my friend, and that wouldn't be nice."

Rephaim shook his head. "You should be scared of me."

"Well, I'm not. You don't scare me, Rephaim."

"I don't?" he questioned.

"Nope. Not even a teeny, tiny bit." She held up her fingers to show the teeny, tiny bit.

"Oh," Rephaim said. Then he sat down on the other side of the candles. "Why not?"

"Because you're my friend. And, actually, I think you're pretty cool."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh."

So that's how a little girl and a Raven Mocker became friends. For the rest of the night, Stevie Rae and Rephaim sat there by the candles, simply talking and laughing together. For the first time ever, Rephaim felt Light. And he liked it. He liked the way Stevie Rae's smile so easily lit up the dark room, and Stevie Rae liked the sound of Rephaim's laughter.

But it all ended with a yawn.

"Ohmygood_ness_!" Stevie Rae shouted, springing to her feet. "How late is it? How long have I been gone?"

"It is close to dawn," Rephaim answered. "You've been here all night."

"Ohmygood_ness_! My family must be so worried! I have to get home, Rephaim!" she cried.

"Okay, relax. It's okay," Rephaim said in an attempt to calm her down.

"But I don't remember how to get home!" she shouted.

"Where do you live?" Rephaim asked calmly.

"Henrietta," she said, tears overflowing from her eyes. _How am I gonna get home?_

"Don't worry," Rephaim said, touching her shoulder. "I know the way. Bring a candle and follow me."

She did as told, following him through the house and woods. He moved fast so she had to run to keep up with him. He tried soothing her on their way, saying things like, "We're almost there," or, "A little farther now."

"Stevie Rae?" Rephaim asked as they ran.

"Yes?" she responded.

_Don't say it! Don't ask! Don't say it!_ "Will you come back and visit?"

"Of course, Rephaim. I could never just forget about you," she said, smiling. He wished he could smile back, but hurried on nevertheless.

"Promise?" he asked. You're being pathetic, Rephaim, he thought to himself.

"Promise," she confirmed.

The candle wasn't helping much, and Stevie Rae didn't see the tree root sticking out of the ground. So as she ran after Rephaim, she tripped and fell. Hard. As she fell, she landed on the candle, burning her forearm, and she smashed her head on the nearby rock, causing her to fall unconscious.

Rephaim froze. He didn't know what to do. "Stevie Rae?" he called. "Stevie Rae! Wake up!"

Of course, Stevie Rae didn't respond. Rephaim could see her breathing, but just barely.

_Raven Mockers are bringers of death…_

He didn't want her to die. He had to go. She had a better chance if he left. But he couldn't leave her here all alone; she was just so young.

Then he heard the voices far away, but they were moving closer.

Then he made his decision. "Hey! Over here!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, willing the winds to carry his voice to them. "She's over here!"

Then he raced back to the broken, lonely house, and never looked back.

I'd like to say that Stevie Rae came around soon after and remembered everything. I'd like to say that she and Rephaim stayed very close friends as she grew up. And when she was marked, Rephaim was the first person she turned to. But I would be lying.

Because when Stevie Rae awoke in a hospital bed a couple days later, she couldn't remember anything about that day or night.

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**A/N**

**R&R pretty please!**

**~Smiley**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N**

**Thanks to all who reviewed! Specifically…**

**-baby Cyclopes**

**-houseofnightfan**

**-IloveZimandNny16**

**-priscilla**

**-heather**

**Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own HON or it's awesome characters or the plot or Rephaim… *sigh* I also do NOT own what the characters are saying or doing. Everything belongs to P.C and Kristen Cast.**

**~Smiley**

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Chapter One

_Stevie Rae_

Stevie Rae was almost halfway to being awake when Darius barged into the room. It wasn't exactly like Darius to come inside without asking, so Stevie Rae sat up. Her vision was blurred from sleep, so she rubbed her eyes, trying to comprehend what she was seeing. But what she saw left her even more confused, and adrenaline was all that got her to her off her bed and on her feet.

Darius was holding something large in his arms. She still couldn't see very clearly, so it was her other senses that pieced the puzzle together. Hearing found Zoey's screams and moans of pain; smell found the scent of Zoey's blood. And far too much of it. Her sight returned enough for Stevie Rae to process what she was seeing.

"Zoey!" Stevie Rae screamed, panicked. Her blood-soaked best friend was what Darius was carrying, and that was a sight Stevie Rae could have lived her entire life without seeing. _Zoey can't die!_ her mind screamed. "What the hell happened?" she asked Darius.

"Raven Mocker," Darius answered. Thank goodness he wasn't as panicked as she felt. "Clear those things off that table," he commanded, but his eyes said it all. _Zoey can't die!_

Stevie Rae did as she was told, knocking the stuff off the table that sat by the end of her bed. She didn't care that she had broken a couple glasses and sent DVDs flying across the room. _Zoey can't die!_

"What can we do? What can we do?" Stevie Rae heard herself saying, looking and sounding and feeling like a lost little girl. _Why does the feeling seem familiar?_ she thought. _No, it's not important right now. Zoey can't die!_ She vaguely wondered why her face felt so wet…

"Take her hand. Talk to her. Keep her conscious," Darius said and started throwing stuff out of the first-aid kit.

Stevie Rae didn't hesitate. She grabbed Zoey's hand and squeezed, then asked, "Zoey, can you hear me?"

"Yeah," Zoey whispered back. It was so quiet that Stevie Rae almost didn't catch it, but she was so focused on Zoey the tunnels could have collapsed around them and she wouldn't even know. The whisper was so filled with pain that it brought new tears to Stevie Rae's eyes.

Stevie Rae clutched her hand harder. "You're gonna be okay. 'Kay? Nothin' can happen to you, 'cause I don't know what I'd do—" her voice caught on a sob, and then she said, "You can't die 'cause you've always believed the best of me, so I've tried to be what you believe I am. Without you, well, I'm afraid the good in me will die, too, and I'll give in to the darkness. Plus, there are so many things I still need to tell you. Important things."

Stevie Rae didn't know if Zoey could hear her, or at the very least understand her through her tears, but she kept her mouth moving while three words played through her mind over and over again: _Zoey can't die, Zoey can't die, Zoey can't die… _

Then Heath burst into the room, came straight to Zoey, and took her other hand. He barely even glanced at Stevie Rae, he just smoothed the hair out of Zoey's face. "How are ya, babe? Still holding on?" Heath asked Z.

Z tried to smile at him, but they could hardly see it through all the pain she was in.

Then the Twins ran into the room with Kramisha close behind them. With twin gasps of horror, tears rushed to their eyes.

"Oh no!" Erin stopped several feet away from Zoey and Heath and Stevie Rae and pressed a shaking, pale hand to her mouth.

"Zoey?" Shaunee looked super confused. Hell, so was she when she first saw Z. Shaunee's eyes travelled down Zoey's body, and she burst into loud, noisy tears.

"That don't look good," Kramisha said. "Not good at all." Stevie Rae was too focused on Zoey to see Kramisha look from Zoey to Heath, and apparently, Heath was too focused on Z to notice it either. "Ain't that the human kid who was down here before?"

Actually, everyone was too busy focusing on Zoey to notice Kramisha's eyes shift to red. The Twins were bawling so hard that snot was running from their noses, thinking, _Zoey can't die_. Darius was still rummaging through the first-aid kit, mumbling under his breath, "Zoey can't die." Stevie Rae was patting Z's hand and trying and failing not to cry, chanting over and over again in her head_, Zoey can't die_. Heath was whispering stupid lines from _Titanic _for some strange reason, but his eyes said the same thing as almost everyone else's: Zoey can't die.

The only person not thinking those three sacred words was Kramisha, who was thinking the words until the scent of Heath's blood drifted to her and she lost her train of thought. Well, maybe Zoey wasn't thinking those words either.

"Heath," Zoey tried to whisper.

"I'm here, babe. I'm not going anywhere."

"Hey, ain't you that human kid who was down here before? The one Zoey came after?" Kramisha had, against her will, moved closer to Heath. Zoey's eyes were watching her wearily.

"Darius!" Zoey gasped suddenly.

Stevie Rae didn't look at the warrior, but she did watch Zoey flick her eyes from the warrior to… Kramisha! The _Zoey can't die_ chant was interrupted by her mind screaming _Crap!_

"Kramisha, leave the room. Now," Darius snapped. Stevie Rae nodded and jerked her head at the door, and then she focused her attention on Zoey once again. A couple seconds later, she heard the sound of Kramisha's footsteps as she left the room.

The second she left, Aphrodite slapped the blanket at the doorway aside and stormed into the room, scowling at none and all of us. Looking uncharacteristically unlike a Barbie doll, she said, "Dammit! This imprint is a pain in the ass! Stevie Rae, could you not get a handle on yourself and keep your emotional bullshit under control and show just a smidge of respect for those of us who can still have hangovers that would kill the average—" Aphrodite managed to focus her blurry vision just enough to see Zoey. You could tell when her face went from _I feel crappy_ to _Shit! Zoey can't die!_ Stevie Rae didn't even want to slap some sense into her after her face went that pale, and she cried, "Oh, Goddess! Zoey!" She tried to deny it by shaking her head back and forth, back and forth. "No, Zoey, no. I didn't see this," she said earnestly. "I never saw this. You beat the first death vision I had. The next one wasn't supposed to be you getting cut again. It was supposed to be you drowning. No! This isn't right!"

Before Zoey or Stevie Rae could say anything, she rounded on Heath. "You! What the fuck are you doing here?"

"I-I came to see if she was okay," Heath stammered, obviously freaked by her intensity.

Aphrodite shook her head again. Honestly, Stevie Rae expected her to pinch herself because she obviously thought this was some sort of dream. "No. You aren't supposed to be here. This isn't right." She paused and her eyes narrowed at the poor boy. "You caused this, didn't you?"

Stevie Rae watched Heath's eyes fill with tears. "Yeah, I think I did," he said, and Stevie Rae sort of wanted to smack some sense into Aphrodite for taking out her frustration out on the poor guy. Even if he did cause this, he obviously didn't mean to. His expression said the same thing everyone else's did: Zoey can't die.

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**A/N**

**I know, short chapter, but pretty please R&R!**

**~Smiley**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N**

**Thanks to all who reviewed! Specifically…**

**-IloveZimandNny16**

**-baby Cyclopes**

**-Hallifer777**

**-Guest**

**-inquiete**

**Hope you like this chapter too!**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own HON or its characters or the plot. All of that masterpiece belongs to the fabulous P.C and Kristen Cast. Also, I do not own what the characters are saying and doing. That came from the glorious imaginations of P.C and Kristen Cast, because they are awesome and fantastic and geniuses and just plain cool.**

**~Smiley**

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Chapter 2

_Stevie Rae_

The next thing Stevie Rae heard was running footsteps that stopped when someone screamed like a girl. Tearing her eyes away from Z, she watched as Damien caught Jack in time to keep him from bashing his unconscious head on the floor and carry him over to her bed. Duchess watched and whined with big, brown concerned eyes as she looked from Jack to Damien to Z and then back to Jack.

Damien and Erik, who Stevie Rae just now noticed, joined the rest of the people crowding around Z. Stevie Rae felt like she was caught somewhere between not being aware of what was going on and being all-too aware.

"They need to cast a circle and focus the healing powers of the elements on Zoey," Darius said to Aphrodite, who nodded and began snapping orders.

"Nerd herd! Take your places. Let's get this circle cast."

Shaunee and Erin gave her twin looks of utter blankness. Damien, however, managed to say around his tears, "I—I don't know which direction is east."

Stevie Rae squeezed Z's hand before letting it go. "I do. I always know where north is, so I can show you where east is too," she told Damien.

"Make the circle around then table, and hand me that sheet from the bed," Darius said.

Damien grabbed the sheet from the bed while trying to soothe an awake and crying Jack and handed it to Darius.

"Stay with me, Priestess," Stevie Rae heard Darius tell Zoey. Then he commanded Heath and Erik to keep talking to her.

Erik immediately took the hand that Stevie Rae had been holding. Stevie Rae didn't listen to what Erik and Heath were saying to her, but she did watch everyone else in the room. Damien was telling Jack that everything was going to be okay, the twins and even Aphrodite were crying, and Darius pulled the shirt away from Z's wound.

_Holy shit!_ Stevie Rae screamed inwardly. _Z's gonna die!_

"Sweet Goddess, no!" Erik blurted. Stevie Rae felt like her eyes were going fall out of her head.

"Ah, shit!" Heath said, shaking his head back and forth. "This is bad. Really bad. No one can live with—"

"No human can live with this type of wound, but she's not a human, and I'm not going to let her die," Darius said. Stevie Rae took her place in the circle while Heath and Erik muttered more stuff to Z, and then Darius ordered, "Get this circle cast."

"We're ready," Damien said.

"Then get it cast!" Darius snapped.

It was like someone had pressed pause. Finally, Erin said, "But Zoey always casts the circles. We never have."

"I'll do it," Aphrodite said, marching over to Damien, only to be returned with a look that was overflowing with doubt. "You don't have to be a fledgling or a vampyre to cast a circle. All you have to do is be attached to Nyx. And I'm attached to Nyx," she said firmly. "But I need you guys to be behind me on this. Are you?"

Everyone looked at Z, who nodded weakly. We all mirrored her, nodding at Aphrodite.

"I'm behind you," Damien told Aphrodite.

Aphrodite's gaze went from Damien to the Twins. "We're with you, too," Erin said for them both.

Finally, she looked at Stevie Rae, who wiped her eyes. She didn't like her, but Stevie Rae trusted Aphrodite. "You've saved my life twice. I'm trusting you can do the same for Zoey."

It didn't take an accidental imprint for Stevie Rae to know that Aphrodite felt accepted and a part of the group for the first time.

The circle casting was a blur. Stevie Rae focused all her attention on earth and needing Zoey to get better. _Please, please_, please, _Nyx_, she prayed. _Zoey just can't die_.

Actually, a lot of everything was a blur. She had a feeling that there was something off, like Zoey couldn't fully feel the power they had invoked, and she was vaguely aware of Darius telling Heath to help Zoey drink from him. She was also vaguely aware that the second Zoey had started to drink from him, they'd imprinted.

A couple seconds later, Stevie Rae could tell that the elements had reached Zoey. The next thing she knew, Aphrodite was closing the circle and Zoey was fully aware. Heath was being carried into the bed, and Darius was telling Jack to get more of Venus's wine.

"But tell the red fledglings to stay away," he added before Jack nodded and scampered off with Duchess at his heals.

"They're not gonna attack Heath," Stevie Rae said, going over to Zoey and holding her hand. "Especially now that he's Imprinted with Zoey again. His blood smells wrong."

"I don't have time to test whether they will or will not," Darius said. Stevie Rae wanted to defend her fledglings more, but he came over to Z and started to inspect her wound again. She knew that, at the moment, Zoey was more important. "Good. It has completely stopped bleeding."

"I think I'll take your word for that. I don't really want to look again," Zoey said, and Stevie Rae was relieved that her voice sounded strong. "Thanks, guys, for the circle," she continued. Everyone grinned and started to rush towards the table.

"No!" Darius said, stopping them in their tracks. "I need room to work. Aphrodite, find some of those butterfly bandages in that kit and bring them over to me."

"Hey, am I done almost dying?" Zoey asked Darius.

"You are done almost dying," Darius said, and Stevie Rae could have cried with relief.

_Thank goodness_, Stevie Rae thought, but then she felt that "but" at the end of Darius's sentence, and there was no way she could let him finish it.

"But?" Zoey prompted.

"There's no but about it," she said quickly. "You're done dyin'. Period."

Against Stevie Rae's deepest desires, however, there was, in fact, a but that had to be shared at the end of the warrior's sentence. "But you need more help than I can give you if you're going to recover fully," he said.

_No. Please, please, no_, Stevie Rae prayed. She knew exactly what Darius meant, but there was just no way that could happen.

"What do you mean, more help?" Aphrodite asked, moving towards Darius with a handful of weird Band-Aids. Stevie Rae got the feeling that she knew what he meant as well.

Darius sighed before saying, "Zoey's wound is severe. The human's blood has saved her life by replacing the blood she has lost and strengthening her enough that she was able to accept the energy of the elements, but not even Zoey can recover from a wound so great by herself. She is still just a fledgling, though even were she a fully Changed vampyre, an injury like this would be difficult to recover from."

"But she looks better now," Damien said, "and she's talking to us."

_Yeah_, Stevie Rae thought. _If you ignore the huge gaping hole in her chest, she's totally fine_.

"Yeah, I don't feel like I'm not really here anymore," Zoey said.

_That's good, isn't it? She's not dyin' anymore_, Stevie Rae thought. _She'll be fine without that, right?_

"That is all good, but the truth is you need many stitched so that the wound can close and heal," Darius said.

_Are you tryin' to shatter my extremely high hopes here?_ Stevie Rae thought at him.

"What about these?" Aphrodite said, offering the butterfly bandages. "I thought that was why you needed them."

_Yeah, those butterfly Band-Aids can fix anything_, Stevie Rae thought.

"Those bandages are only temporary. She needs real stitches," Darius stated.

"So stitch me up," Zoey said, obviously trying to sound brave.

"There are no sutures in the kit," Darius said sadly.

_Dammit! _Stevie Rae screamed inwardly.

"Can we get some?" Erik asked. "I can drive Heath's truck to the Saint John's pharmacy and Stevie Rae can do her mind control thing on the doc there. We'd bring back whatever you need, and then you could stitch her up."

"Yeah, we can do that. I can even grab a doctor if you want and bring him down here, then wipe his memory clean when we return him," Stevie Rae offered hopefully.

"Okay, Stevie Rae, that's a nice offer, but I really don't think that's a good idea," Zoey said.

"It's not that simple to solve the problem anyway," Darius said apologetically.

_Oh, come on! Why can't it be that simple!_ Stevie Rae whined.

"So explain it so it is that simple," Heath said, sitting up even though he was totally too tired to hold the position for long.

"Zoey needs more than a doctor's care. Zoey needs to be around adult vampyres so that the damage to her body doesn't become fatal," Darius explained.

"Hang on. I thought you said I was done almost dying," Zoey said.

"You are done almost dying from this particular wound, but if you don't get within a coven of vampyres, and I mean more than one or two or three of us, the damage caused to your body will use up your reserves of strength and you will begin rejecting the Change." Even Darius, who Stevie Rae hadn't labeled as the "dramatic type", was not above the dramatic pause. "You'll die from that. You may come back to us, like Stevie Rae and the rest of the red fledglings did, but you may not."

"Or you may come back like that stupid Stark kid and be a crazed asshole who starts attacking us," Aphrodite said.

"So you really don't have any choice," Darius continued.

_La la la la la! I can't hear you!_ Stevie Rae thought wildly, wanting to cover her ears to defend herself from the blow his words would bring.

"We have to get you back to the House of Night."

"Well, hell," Zoey summed up.

* * *

**A/N**

**Once again, I don't own what the characters were saying or doing. I'm sitting with Hunted in my hand while I'm typing this. It should start to change more next chapter 'cause Stevie Rae is gonna insist on going back with them.**

**Anyway, pretty please review!**

**~Smiley**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N**

**Special thanks to all who reviewed! Specifically…**

**-houseofnightfan (x2)**

**-inquiete**

**-Fan Girly**

**-baby Cyclopes**

**-IloveZimandNny16**

**-Guest**

**You guys rock! Now, I said last A/N that this is where things start to branch of from the legitimate book (I've been using the same dialogue, etc.), and I'm proud to say that this is, in fact, when things start to change, and decisions are made that simply can't be reversed…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own HON. Seriously, if I did, why would I be writing FanFiction?**

**~Smiley **

* * *

Chapter 3

_Stevie Rae_

An Oklahoma tornado of arguments, protests, and general chaos ensued.

"But—"

"No!"

"She can't go—"

"Kalona's there!"

"His stupid minions did this to—"

"She'll be killed if she goes ba—"

"There's gotta be—"

"Please, just please!"

"Nu-uh!"

"No way!"

"Bad idea!"

"Can't we transfer schools?"

The only people not talking were Zoey, who was too tired to protest and kind of agreed with Darius, Darius, who proposed the idea, and Stevie Rae, who was too numb to do much of anything right now.

As the tsunami of horrified faces washed over everyone and caused a semi-wide-spread panic, Darius was the only one who could keep his cool.

"Silence!" he roared, and the tables were turned. Instead of the fledglings being the wave extinguishing Darius' fire, he was the tsunami who was putting out their flames of words.

"Darius, if we take her back to the school, they'll just attack her again, maybe even kill her," Erik said, the first to speak after Darius' silencing shout.

"Maybe not," Zoey slowly admitted. "It wanted to attack Heath, not me. Actually, it kinda freaked when it realized I was the one it hurt."

"Because it said its dad had been looking for you," Heath recalled. "Yeah, I remember. He did freak right after he cut you. Zoey, babe, I'm sorry I almost got you killed."

"Didn't I fucking tell you!" Aphrodite practically snarled at the poor boy. "What happened was your fault! You shouldn't have been here!"

"Whoa, Aphrodite, hang on," Zoey said, trying to make simmer down motions to her. "You kept blaming Heath before. What gives?"

Stevie Rae had been silently watching as Zoey continued to stare at Aphrodite, who actually fidgeted. "What's the deal, Aphrodite?"

Aphrodite was unable to speak, so Stevie Rae sighed and decided to help her out. "'Cause she's know-it-all Vision Girl, and this time she was in the dark."

"Do not tap into my mind like that!" Aphrodite screamed at her, but Stevie Rae was no longer frightened by her like she used to be.

Her numbness made her voice seem calm, and she told her, "Then answer Z's question. She feels too crappy to pull it out of you."

Aphrodite turned her back on her, but she was going to answer, so Stevie Rae slipped back into the safe-mode of numb silence.

Aphrodite continued to not-so-calmly explain why she thought she would know if Z was gonna die, and eventually Z started telling her off. Sort of. In a special Z way.

Stevie Rae came back to reality when Darius insisted once again that Zoey had to go back to the House of Night.

"And take her right back to Neferet? That doesn't sound smart," Heath said.

"Nevertheless, she has to go there," Darius insisted.

"Isn't there some other way?" Zoey asked.

"Not if you want to live," Darius answered.

"Then Zoey has to go back to the school," Damien said.

"Oh great! So the Raven Mockers and Neferet have her exactly where they want her!" Aphrodite shouted, but underneath all that tough-skin and hate-crafted armor, Stevie Rae could tell that she was scared. She was scared for Zoey; she was scared to go back, and she was scared of taking another shot in the dark.

"They want me there, but they want me alive. That means they won't do anything else until I'm healed, and because Neferet is the healer there, let's just hope Kalona wants me alive worse than she wants me dead," Zoey said.

"But what if she does something terrible to you after you're healed?" Aphrodite asked, and even though Stevie Rae wanted to return to her numb-state, she knew that that was only for when she wasn't needed to be strong for anyone. And right now, everyone needed someone to try and be strong, or at the very least there.

"Then you guys will have to come and get me out of there," Zoey answered.

"Uh, Zoey," Damien said. "You sound like you think you're going back in there alone. You're not."

"Yeah, no way," Erin said.

"We're not letting you out of our sight," Shaunee agreed.

"Where you go, we go," Jack summed up.

"That's right. We're in this together," Stevie Rae said. "Remember the only thing that was the same about both of the death visions Aphrodite had of you was the fact that you were alone. So we're not lettin' you go alone."

It was Erik who ruined the we're-all-in-this-together moment. "Wait—we can't all go back with her."

"Look, Erik," Aphrodite sneered. "We get that you're Mr. Jealous and that seeing your girlfriend sucking on another guy is probably not cool with you, but you're going to have to learn to deal."

Obviously, Stevie Rae wasn't the only one who saw through the bullshit Erik kept pulling out of his acting butt, and he was making it really hard to see who the true Erik was. One minute he's perfect, the next he's stupid, then he's jealous, then he's passionate, then concerned…

What he said next didn't help with the whole getting-on-her-good-side thing.

"Stevie Rae can't go back with you. If she goes, who will be here to control the red fledglings? Aphrodite can't go back with you. She's just a human, and as much as I'd like something to eat her, I imagine you and Nyx want to keep her around."

Aphrodite's face said exactly what Stevie Rae was thinking, in slightly ruder terms: Bitch no.

"Before he says shit else, you need to know that I'm going back with you, no matter what," Heath said.

"Same here," Stevie Rae said, and Aphrodite nodded.

Erik sneered at Heath. "Yeah, and you'll just get your human ass kicked and probably killed, even faster than Aphrodite would." He ignored Stevie Rae's statement that she was going too, and continued, "The only one who should be going with Zoey is Darius. Anyone else is just taking a risk. They could get trapped at the House of Night. Or killed. Or worse."

Predictably, everyone started shouting about how they didn't care if it was dangerous, how they wanted to go with Zoey, how Erik could just shut the hell up. Stevie Rae was not one to be left out of the tsunami of shouts.

"Guys…guys…" Zoey tried, but everyone either heard her and ignored her or didn't hear her at all.

"Silence!" Darius commanded, and everyone one shut up and looked like puppies with their tails in between their legs.

"Thanks," Zoey said to Darius, then spoke to the rest. "I think Erik is right. Anyone who goes back with me is at risk, and I don't wanna lose you guys."

"But, Z," Stevie Rae protested. "We're stronger when we're together."

Everyone mumbled in agreement. "The circle should stay together," Damien said.

"I can't," Darius argued. "Stevie Rae has to stay here with the red fledglings. If she's trapped on campus, or, worse case scenario, killed, we have no way of knowing if Erik's presence, as a Changed vampyre, will be enough to keep them healthy and under control. In case Zoey and I were the only ones who noticed, let me tell all of you that Kramisha looked as if she was having trouble controlling herself around Heath."

As if on cue, Kramisha appeared in the doorway of the little tunnel room. "I instructed all red fledglings to stay away from—"

Kramisha interrupted Darius. "Yeah, I know you told us to keep out, but I gotta show my Priestess something important." Somehow, Kramisha managed to look shy and confident, worried and nonchalant, big and small, at-ease and guilty, and determined all at the same time.

"What is it, Kramisha?" Stevie Rae asked, and Kramisha stepped into the room. Darius was immediately on the defensive.

"Oh, calm yourself. He is imprinted with Zoey again, and we ain't got no problem being around humans that are already taken."

Darius didn't relax, but he didn't move towards her either. Kramisha, instead of handing the purple notebook paper to Stevie Rae, turned and held it out to Darius, who took it warily. His eyes moved back and forth as he read what was on the page, but Kramisha interrupted him by saying, "Read it out loud. You's all need to hear this, but he needed the most convincing."

Darius cleared his throat and read,

"_Now the earth has bled_

_The circle has fled_

_Simply to return_

_When will they learn?_

_To defeat defeat_

_They must be complete_

_Protected by love_

_With help from above_

_They might see ahead_

_But by past be led_

_Ask what could have been_

_Ask you look within._"

"So, what does that mean?" Aphrodite asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over them.

"Well, I believe it means the circle must stay together," Damien said.

"Maybe it could stay together, even without Stevie Rae," Aphrodite said.

"What do you mean?" Zoey asked.

"I can't evoke earth anymore; that was given back to Stevie Rae when she Changed. But Zoey can evoke it, just like any of the other elements, right?" she explained.

"Right," Zoey said.

"And I just evoked spirit without any problems. So what if we just switched places? Zoey personifies earth, and I call spirit. As long as Z's around to nudge spirit in my direction, I don't see why it wouldn't work."

"She has a point, which makes the circle complete without me," Stevie Rae said. "Maybe Darius is right. As much as I wanna go back with you, should I really take the chance that I can't get back to my fledglings?"

Suddenly, Kramisha exclaimed, "You's all are missin' my point! The poem's point! Nyx's point!"

"What do you mean—"

"She means that she thinks her poem is inferring that—" Damien started to explain.

Kramisha cut him off. "I just think you's ain't thinking 'bout my poem."

"Kramisha might have a point," Jack said. "From what I've seen, her poems are very accurate."

"Thank you," Kramisha said.

"I'm very confused," Zoey said.

"Darius, can I see the poem please?" Damien asked. Darius passed it to him, and Damien's eyes moved back and forth over the page as he read.

"I believe Kramisha is right," he stated. Then he read, "'To defeat defeat, The circle must be complete'."

"But we just figured out a way for the circle to be complete without me being there," Stevie Rae said. She knew, deep down inside, that she _had to go_ with Zoey, but it didn't seem like she was going to be able to.

"Go back to the first stanza," Kramisha said. Damien's eyes wandered back up the page.

"'Now earth has bled; The circle has fled'," Kramisha read out loud. "'Simply to return'." She stopped and looked around at everyone in the room.

"You think it means the original circle needs to return, not the modified version," Darius stated, and Kramisha nodded.

"But not just the circle. 'Protected by love, With help from above, They might see ahead…" Her voice trailed off. "I think it mean that you," she pointed at Darius, "and you," she pointed at Aphrodite, "hafta go too."

_So, am I going or not then?_ Stevie Rae thought.

"What about me?" Heath and Erik asked at the same time. Heath wanted to stay by Zoey's side all along, but Stevie Rae thought Erik didn't feel inclined to go. He was the one who had been saying not many people should go.

"My poem didn't say nothin' 'bout needin' her Consort or jealous boyfriend," Kramisha said.

"There is another problem we must consider," Darius said. "Neferet, and perhaps even Kalona, can read your minds. Which means everything you know about the red fledglings and this safe haven, they will know too."

"Uh, guys, I have an idea," Heath piped up. "Okay, I don't really know too much about this stuff, so I might be totally wrong, but can't each of you get help from an element to, I dunno, set up some sort of road-block around your minds?"

Stevie Rae was impressed, and Z said, "You might be on to something. What do you think, Damien?"

Damien was so excited, one could feel it in the air. "I think we're idiots not to have thought of it ourselves." He smiled at Heath. "Well done, you!"

Heath shrugged. "No problem. Sometimes it takes someone from the outside to figure stuff out."

"You really believe that could work?" Darius asked.

"It should," Damien answered. "Or at least it should for those of us who have an actual affinity for the element. The Twins and I have done it before."

"And Neferet hasn't been able to read my mind since the day I was marked, just like Zoey," Aphrodite said.

"So, Heath, Erik, and Jack are staying here?" Stevie Rae questioned. "And am I going or not?"

"Uh, hell no. I'm not staying. I'm going with Zoey," Heath said.

"You can't, Heath," Zoey said. "It's way too dangerous."

"Aphrodite's a human and she can go. So can I," he said stubbornly.

"Moron football boy, first, I might be human, but I'm also special, so I go. Second, you can't go because they can use you to get to Zoey. You're imprinted with her again. They hurt you; they hurt Zoey. So show some sense and take your butt back to suburbia."

"Oh. I hadn't thought about it like that," Heath said.

"You have to go home, Heath. We'll talk later after things have settled down," Zoey said."

"Shouldn't I stay here, where I'm close to you? So if you need me, you can get to me fast."

"No, Heath," Zoey insisted. "You have to go home. It's not safe for you here."

"I don't care about being safe or not. I care about being with you," Heath said.

"I know, but I care if you're safe or not. So, go home. I'll call you as soon as I can."

"Okay, but I'll be back here the second you call," he said.

"So…am I going?" Stevie Rae asked.

"It has already been decided that Heath, Erik, and Jack will not be accompanying us, but I still am not convinced you should come too, Stevie Rae," Darius said.

Stevie Rae was about to say that she, in fact, should come, and Kramisha opened her mouth to argue that Darius shouldn't be questioning her poems when Aphrodite cried out. Stevie Rae's eyes began to sting.

Immediately everyone started to freak out as Aphrodite fell to her knees. For exactly three minutes, shouts and cries of horror and confusion flared up, but as quickly as they had been sparked, the fire was put out. "Y'all, she's havin' a vision. Someone go get some water and a cloth for—"

"No need, bumpkin. This one was short" Aphrodite said haltingly with labored breathing as she rose shakily to her feet. "And, fortunately or unfortunately, the meaning was clear."

"What did you see?" Zoey asked the question for all of them as Aphrodite wiped the blood away from her eyes. Thankfully, the scent of her blood had no effect on Stevie Rae.

"It's not immediately important. What matters is this: Stevie Rae has to come with us," Aphrodite said.

* * *

**A/N**

**Happy Holidays, everyone! Hope you all enjoyed the chapter and, you know, maybe, you'll be in the holiday spirit and leave a review!**

**~Smiley **


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N**

**Thanks to all who reviewed! Specifically…**

**-IloveZimandNny16**

**-baby Cyclopes**

**-Guest**

**-and inquiete**

**You guys are all awesome! Thank you so much for your support!**

**Disclaimer: I STILL DO NOT OWN HON! That is all.**

**~Smiley**

* * *

Chapter 4

_Stevie Rae_

"Everyone who's comin' should get ready to leave. Heath's just head off, and Darius is findin' a four-wheel drive to get us back to the House of Night," Stevie Rae said, coming back into the room after she and Darius had gone up to see Heath off/make sure he wasn't attacked or something. The roads were really bad, but Heath said he'd driven in worse. Besides, it was probably safer for him to leave and face the wrath of the roads than stay and worry Z and risk being attacked by a Raven Mocker or red fledgling. Not that she thought any of her fledglings would do that, but she hadn't exactly told Z about all of the reds.

_Later,_ Stevie Rae told herself. _Save that stress for later. Ya have more things to be stressin' 'bout right now, like Z's near-death-ness, Aphrodite's vision _(which she could tell through the imprint scared the heck outta her)_, and goin' back to the uber-screwed up House of Night._

"I'm supposed to tell Erik to carry Zoey. The rest of ya stay close. Darius oughta be right outside in the parking lot by now."

Stevie Rae felt like she had missed something, like the revealing of more poems or whatever, when Kramisha pulled two sheets of purple notebook paper out of her pocket. She slipped them to Stevie Rae, mumbling a low, "Here. You might wanna take a look at these."

Stevie Rae nodded. "Got it," she whispered back, shoving them in her own pocket for later.

"Hey, you guys go on ahead. I'll be there in a minute. I need to talk to Stevie Rae really quick," Zoey said, much to the surprise of everyone, including Stevie Rae. Even so, everyone mumbled _okay_s and _whatever_s and _see you soon_s and left.

"Erik, can you just wait outside for a sec?" Z asked; Erik shrugged and left the room as well, even though he was visibly annoyed.

"What is it, Z?" Stevie Rae asked, kneeling beside her.

"We need a plan B," Zoey whispered to her. "I don't want us getting trapped there, and if it gets really dangerous, then I want us to move to the abbey."

"Well, Zoey, I'm not too sure…" Stevie Rae's voice trailed off as she gave the idea some real thought. "Okay, this'll sound crazy, but I think it might work."

"What?"

"Okay, well, I've been doing some experimenting with my element and some exploring of the depot tunnels," Stevie Rae started, "and I discovered that I can kinda make my own tunnels with the earth."

"You're sure you'll be able to do this? Even under life-or-death stress?" Zoey questioned.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I could. I've been practicin' lots in my free time, and I think it could work."

"Yeah, if you're sure you can do it, it sounds like a great idea to me." Z managed to smile, and Stevie Rae beamed at her in return.

"One other thing," Zoey said. "I think you should try and go back and forth between the depot and the school. Only if you can do it secretly, though." Zoey sighed. "I know they're your friends and all, Stevie Rae, but I just don't think they can be—"

"Yeah, I know ya don't trust them, Z. But they really are tryin' to be good. They just need a little time and a push in the right direction is all."

Z nodded a little. "Yeah, but do you think you could come check on them?"

"Yeah, I'll try. At the very least, it'll give me a chance to practice makin' the tunnels and test if we'll be able to escape like that."

"Yeah, that'll be good. Oh, and don't tell anyone. No one knowing means Neferet won't be able to know. But you'll have to shield your mind with your element," Zoey said. Stevie Rae barely had time to nod before Erik came back into the room.

"We need to leave. Are you guys done?" Erik asked. Stevie Rae nodded and stood up so Erik could grab Z.

"This is going to hurt, and I'm sorry, but you really need to get back to the House of Night," Erik said, gently putting his arms around her, preparing to lift Zoey up.

"I know. I'm just gonna close my eyes and try to pretend I'm someplace else, okay?"

"Sounds like a good idea," Erik said, lifting Z up.

"And I'll be right here with you, too, Z," Stevie Rae said, following Zoey and Erik out of the room.

However, Kramisha was there, leaning against the wall but obviously just waiting for them. Or maybe just Stevie Rae. The Poet Laureate let Erik and Zoey by but stopped Stevie Rae from advancing.

"Listen, priestess. You take my poems seriously. That first one; it for you. The other two may not be, but yous still need to hear them. They mean something. I feel it."

Stevie Rae met her gaze and smiled solemnly, nodding. "Okay. Hey, don't let anyone eat people while I'm gone, okay?" Stevie Rae stepped around her to go jog after Zoey.

"You got it, priestess!" Kramisha called.

By the time Stevie Rae found Z, she was already being carried by Darius to the Hummer. Darius was laying Zoey in on one side, and Stevie Rae went around and sat next to Damien on the other. Zoey's head ended up being pillowed on his lap.

Darius took off almost immediately, and the ride was pretty dang quiet for most of the way. When they were almost halfway there, everyone started planning what they would do. What story to tell, how they should stick close to their elements, and how they should try to stick close to the truth.

Stevie Rae felt like utter crap. Something just felt wrong about returning to the school, and everyone was feeling it, too. But Stevie Rae didn't think they were feeling as sick to their stomachs as she was. She felt like she had unknowingly stepped into something that sealed her fate, for better or worse. Nervous anxiety caused her stomach to turn, and her spirits worsened.

Good_ness_, what was going on? She was sure that something was going to happen that would change the course of her life forever, but, then again, what happened in her life nowadays that didn't? What made this so much…more?

Stevie Rae finally snapped out it when the Hummer rolled up to the gates of the school. Stevie Rae had to blink several times before she realized what she was seeing was real. Damien was helping Z sit up beside her, and she was gawking just like the rest of them, save maybe Darius.

"Ohmygood_ness_," Stevie Rae breathed so quietly she doubted anyone heard her.

The Hummer was completely surrounded by these bird _things_. It sounded horrible to call anyone a thing, but that's all she could think of when seeing them at first glance. They weren't human, but they weren't exactly bird either. Perhaps they weren't so bad; after all, her mama had always told her to never judge a book by its cover, but when they swarmed and surrounded the car, they were pretty intimidating. It was hard to not judge.

From behind the group of Raven Mockers, a huge, scarred warrior stepped out, looking grim and dangerous.

"That would be one of my brothers, a Son of Erebus, standing side by side with our enemies," Darius said, sounding absolutely disgusted.

"Which makes the Sons of Erebus our enemies too," Z said.

"Priestess, at least when you are referring to that warrior, I'm sorry to have to agree with you," Darius replied.

Darius was the first to step out of the car, looking strong and confident but completely unreadable.

"Greetings, Aristos," he said. Somehow his voice was carried to inside the car. "I have several fledglings and two young priestesses with me. One requires immediate medical attention as she has been severely wounded."

Before the other warrior could respond, the largest of the Raven Mockers stepped forward, asking, "Which priestesses return to the House of Night?"

Stevie Rae was shocked by how human the Raven Mocker sounded. She hadn't imaging they were even able to talk, let alone sound so human.

"Creature, I do not know you," Darius said slowly.

The Raven Mocker narrowed his eyes at Darius. "Son of man, you may call me Rephaim."

Stevie Rae didn't know why, but the name echoed around and around in her head, imprinting her every thought with it in some way, shape, or form.

"I still do not know you," Darius replied.

"You will know me," Rephaim hissed. Stevie Rae's eyes widened at how he could go from sounding almost normal to completely animalistic.

Thankfully, Darius ignored the Raven Mocker and turned his attention back to Aristos. "I have a priestess who has been badly wounded and several fledglings in need of rest. Will you allow us to pass?"

"Is it Zoey Redbird? Do you have her with you?"

All of the Raven Mockers reacted to Zoey's name, hissing and turning their blood red eyes towards the Hummer. It should have been terrifying, but Stevie Rae couldn't help but remember how, not too long ago, her eyes had reflected the same color, glistening with the same evil and darkness.

"It is. Will you let us pass?" Darius repeated.

"Of course. All fledglings have been ordered to return to campus," Aristos said.

Darius nodded tersely. "I will carry her to the infirmary. She cannot walk."

Darius went to move toward the Hummer, but Rephaim's words froze him in his tracks. "Is the Red One with you?"

Stevie Rae gasped, causing everyone in the car turned towards her, save Zoey. Feeling a terrible sense of dread, Stevie Rae squeaked, "He's talkin' 'bout me."

"Maybe not," Damien said, trying to calm her, but Stevie Rae simply shook her head.

"I do not know what you mean by the Red One," Darius said dryly.

In an instant Rephaim had spread his massive black wings and leaped on the hood of the Hummer. The crackling of the metal denting under his weight was drowned out by the hissing of the agitated cats. Rephaim perched there, human hands curled into claws, lurking over Darius. Stevie Rae was terrified he would do something to hurt the warrior.

"Bumpkin, what the fucking hell do you think you're—"

Aphrodite was cut off as Stevie Rae slammed the door behind her. She knew it was crazy, leaving the safety of the car like that, especially when a Raven Mocker was specifically asking for you, but she didn't want to hide, not when it meant the slightest possiblity of one of her friends being in danger.

The second her red cowboy boots had hit the ground, Rephaim's red eyes had locked with hers. And, for some messed up reason, she wasn't scared of him.

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**A/N**

**Sounds like as good a place as any to stop. I threw something in there; cookie if you can guess what it is. Here's a hint: go back and read the prologue. Pay special attention to what Stevie Rae's wearing. Then come back and reread the last two sentences.**

**Oh, and don't forget to review! This story is finally going somewhere!**

**~Smiley**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N**

**Thanks to all who reviewed! Specifically…**

**-baby Cyclopes (cookie for you!)**

**-Guest**

**-JadeT18 F-Psy**

**-inquiete (cookie for you!)**

**-and iluvstark**

**You guys are awesome, and your support got this next chapter written. Honestly, I feel like I neglect this story a little bit, so it gets another chapter. Besides, I'm actually really excited to see what Rephaim's gonna do, and no, just because I'm the author does not mean I have a clue about what these characters decide to do! At least some of the time, writing has a mind of its own…but that's okay! =D**

**Disclaimer: I do not, nor have I ever, owned any aspect of HON!**

**~Smiley**

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Chapter 5

_Rephaim_

_By all the gods!_ Rephaim inwardly screamed as he looked into blue eyes he was almost sure he had seen before. _No, it cannot be her, can it?_

Using is anger to mask what he was really feeling and thinking from everyone, including himself, Rephaim turned his attention back to the warrior. "Do not lie to me, sssson of man!" Rephaim's voice became less human as his temper spiked. "You know I speak of the red vampyre!" He threw his arm towards the young priestess. "Even sssshe knowsss I ssssspeak of her!"

"Yeah, okay. I'm the red vampyre," the Red One said. "Could ya get off the car now please?"

Rephaim blinked, her words grabbing his attention. All in one motion, he leapt from the hood of the Hummer down onto the ground, right in front of the Red One. His wings were still spread, and he towered over the young priestess.

"There, that's better, right? No need to harm the poor car. It never did anything to you," she said. Her voice was calm and confident. Her gaze met his without wavering. Not a hair on her neck stood up. There were absolutely no signs that she was in any way scared of him. There were absolutely no signs that he made her uncomfortable in the slightest. This frightened Rephaim some, not that he would ever admit to it.

"If by Red One you mean the red vampyre priestess Stevie Rae, then you can see she is obviously with us," Darius said. No one else would have been able to pick up on the urgency and nervousness in his voice, but Rephaim did. He sensed the Red One did as well, as if she knew the warrior were trying to summon her to him. As if the warrior were trying to get the Red One out of the Raven Mocker's reach.

However, the warrior would soon find that Rephaim did let his prey slide through his fingers so easily, even if Rephaim's heart reacted to her name. He remembered it was the name of the girl he had befriended over a decade before. But whether she was the girl from the old house or not, Rephaim had strict orders to follow. He was supposed to bring the Red One to his father. And, whether his heart reacted to her name or not, Rephaim knew his heart never had and never will matter, and he would do what he needed to get done. Whatever the girl had awakened within him that night was long gone, and he wasn't about to let it come back.

"As I have said before, the other priestess with us is in need of immediate aid. For the final time, will you allow us to pass or not?" Darius asked.

"Passsss of coursssse," Rephaim hissed. The warrior immediately began getting the fledglings out of the vehicle.

Rephaim gained control of his voice and his temper before saying, "However, the Red One comes with me."

He grabbed the Red One's arm, ready to drag her with him if necessary, but before he could do so much as blink, the young priestess had delivered an astonishingly painful blow to his face. Before Rephaim or any of his brothers could react, this Stevie Rae had his arm twisted and pinned behind his back and his body pressed up against the car.

"Thanks, but I'm going to stay with Zoey," the Red One said firmly. "And I will not be forced into goin' anywhere, ya hear?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Rephaim could see one of his brothers getting ready to attack the Red One. The girl had loosened her grip on his arm as if she were about to let him go, but his brother had already leapt from his perch.

Faster than Stevie Rae thought possible, Rephaim traded positions with her so her back was against the car and Rephaim was able to block his brother's blow. It probably would've knocked the girl unconscious, but Rephaim grabbed his brother's arm and hissed, "We are not to harm the Red One," before throwing him to the ground.

The Raven Mocker stumbled back into his position, mumbling his apologies.

The Red One's eyes were wide, but she turned away from Rephaim without giving him much thought, moving to stand next to Darius, who had just lifted the fledgling High Priestess out of the car.

It was to the Red One that Rephaim spoke. "Very well. I suppose you may come once the priestess is in the infirmary." With that, Rephaim and the rest of his brothers took to the sky.

Rephaim made sure he flew high enough so the dark night sky cloaked his movements. When he was sure he was out of the sight and reach of all the vampyres, fledglings, and even his brothers, Rephaim turned and landed by the tree from which his father had been freed. Quickly and silently, Rephaim threw his gaze around him, ensuring there was no one else around to hear or see him.

_Stevie Rae…_

The name echoed around and around in his head, imprinting his every thought in some way, shape, or form. Rephaim tried hard to fight against it, but soon it was simply too much, and he couldn't help but succumb to the wave of memories that bombarded him.

"_Rephaim?" the little girl had asked. "You have wings, don't ya? Does that mean you can fly?"_

"_Yes," Rephaim had answered cautiously. "I was able to fly when I had a body."_

"_That's so cool!" she had exclaimed. "Was it fun to fly? I would love to be able to fly, but I'm a little scared of heights, so that probably wouldn't be a great idea."_

_Rephaim chuckled. "Yes, it was fun, I suppose."_

"_Hey, Rephaim?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_If I ever got wings, would ya teach me to fly?"_

_Rephaim had stared at her, completely baffled by her completely illogical question. She met his gaze, completely serious. Rephaim shrugged inwardly and replied, "Of course."_

_She had beamed at him from the other side of the candles, and then she smiled at the tiny flames for a while before tossing her head back up, which had caused her little blonde curls to be thrown back, and asked, "What do you wanna be when you grow up?"_

"_What do you mean by that?" Rephaim had asked, completely and utterly confused by how fast she had changed the subject and what she meant by her question._

"_What do you wanna be when you're older? Like, I wanna be a country singer. So what do you wanna be?" she asked._

"_I don't know. I suppose I never really gave it too much thought," he answered, "but you want to be a singer?"_

"_Uh-huh." She nodded._

"_Why don't you sing for me then?"_

"_Oh, nuh-huh. I don't actually sing in front of people, Rephaim."_

"_Well, why not?" he asked._

"'_Cause then people actually _hear_ me," she replied as if it were obvious._

"_But if you wish to be a singer, then people have to hear you," Rephaim reasoned._

"_No." She looked down at her lap and picked at her nails. "I have stage fright."_

"_But I thought you were not…oh, what did you call it? A 'fraidy cat," Rephaim said, mimicking her earlier words._

"_I'm not a 'fraidy cat!" The Stevie Rae he had known exclaimed._

"_I never said you were. However, you are telling me that you are able to sit and chat with a monstrous spirit without a problem, but you can't sing for me?"_

"_Yes."_

_Rephaim laughed. "Fine. You do not have to sing if you do not wish to. It has simply been a long time since I have heard music."_

_The little girl stared at him with sympathetic blue eyes. "It must get pretty lonely here, huh?"_

"_Sometimes. I mostly like being alone, but company is refreshing."_

_Young Stevie Rae smiled. "Fine. I'll sing for ya. But what'd'ya want me to sing?"_

"_Whatever you please," Rephaim had replied._

_His young friend stayed silent as she thought hard about what song she would sing, causing her forehead to scrunch up the harder she concentrated. "Ooh, I got one!"_

_Rephaim stayed silent, his eyes telling her to start._

"_Today might be cloudy_

_But it's sunny to me_

_But it would shine brighter_

_If you'd smile with me_

_It might be dark tonight_

_And that might not feel right_

_But it would be brighter_

_If you'd smile with me_

_Maybe the sun's hiding_

_Behind those big ol' clouds_

_Maybe the moon's sleeping_

_And the stars can't be found_

_We can light up the world_

_We can shine on our own_

_Yeah it'd sure shine brighter_

_If you'd smile with me."_

_Rephaim smiled when she had finished, giving her a little applause. She dipped her head in a bow, giggling. _

"_Where did you learn that?" he asked._

"_Well, you see, my mama and my daddy—"_

_My daddy…_

The words echoed around in his head, banging again and again against the walls of his skull.

_My daddy…my father_

Father!

Rephaim fell away from the memory, jerking himself back to reality. The cursed memory of that innocent night had caused him to completely lose track of time. Rephaim quickly pulled away from the broken tree he had ended up leaning against and threw himself into the sky, letting his strong wings take him towards his father.

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**A/N**

**Please review! I'm almost positive you will be seeing that little song again, so I would love some feedback on it! **

**The next update you guys should see will be on The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet: Stephaim Style. Emphasis on the should.**

**~Smiley**


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